The Amway Dick and the Republican Governor Association

Granholm For Governor: Granholm Campaign Finance Report Shows Broad Support Granholm Campaign Finance Report Shows Broad SupportFriday, October 27, 2006 By: Campaign Release The Granholm for Governor campaign today filed its pre-general campaign finance statement. The Governor has received contributions from every county in Michigan... LANSING, MI -- Today, the Granholm for Governor campaign filed its pre-general campaign finance statement, which details contributions and expenditures from August 29 to October 22. For the reporting period, the Granholm campaign raised just over $2 million. Over 9,200 individuals donated to Governor Granholm during this period. Half of these donations were from contributors who gave less than $100. For the entire campaign cycle, Governor Granholm has raised $13.8 million from 30,323 donors. 16,444 donors have given $100 or less. Governor Granholm has received contributions from every county in Michigan. The DeVos campaign has already spent over $39 million on the race, easily the most in Michigan history. In this reporting cycle alone the campaign spent over $18 million. On thirteen different occasions, DeVos wrote seven-figure checks to his own campaign, including one for $9 million on September 8. DeVos has personally given almost $35 million to his campaign, which represents well over 80 percent of the total campaign contributions. While Dick DeVos used his personal fortune to finance an unprecedented early television ad blitz that began in mid-February, the Granholm campaign conserved its resources until recently. The Granholm campaign spent $6.4 million total during the latest reporting period. The report shows the Granholm campaign has over $4 million in cash on hand - enough resources to mount an aggressive “Get Out the Vote” and television advertising effort over the final weeks of the campaign. Dick DeVos has claimed he does not take money from political action committees, but according to a Boston Globe article on October 1, the Republican Governor’s Association is spending $1 million on behalf of his campaign. The RGA, a political association organized under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Service, has accepted millions of dollars in contributions from powerful corporations. Additionally, according to IRS filings, on August 23, 2006, Dick DeVos’ father Richard DeVos, Sr. made a $1 million contribution to the RGA. Two days later, RGA Chairman Mitt Romney announced during a Michigan Republican Convention event that the RGA would be spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in issue ads for DeVos. Governor Granholm has proposed comprehensive ethics reforms for Michigan politicians, including mandatory financial disclosure laws, but her reforms have been blocked by the Republican Legislature. Michigan is currently one of only three states that do not have financial disclosure laws. DeVos campaign spokesperson John Truscott has made it clear that DeVos does not support the Governor’s efforts to ensure transparency in elections by requiring personal financial disclosure by candidates. “Dick DeVos has spent tens of millions of his own personal dollars on this race, but still refuses to disclose to Michigan voters where this money comes. What is he hiding?” said Granholm campaign spokesperson Chris De Witt. “Michigan needs a Governor who will put Michigan first, not a Governor who earns millions by supporting unfair trade policies and tax breaks that hurt Michigan families.” Caught in another lie Mr. DeVos?